On Policies tab we can see:
Optimize for performance. This settings write cashing in Windows to improve disk performance.
Shortly you can try with Enabled and Disabled write caching to see any differences. With better option please tell me:
1. How much is average transfer rate in megabytes/sec for your external disks respectively when transfer data from and to external disks – example large *.avi file (would be a large compact or compressed file, without applications running, small CPU usage before tests)? Can I guess – average 26 megabytes/sec.
Transfer rate when enabled is around 15 MB/sec, when disabled it is around 15.5 MB/sec.
2. Are there any differences in transfer rate with your external disks on other PC?
2. Are there any differences in transfer rate with your external disks on other PC?
When connected to my wife's 4 GB dual core Dell desktop running Windows XP MCE, the transfer rate is between 28 and 30 MB/sec, roughly twice the rate than when connected to my 3 GB dual core Acer laptop running Windows XP Home. Both systems are at the most recent patch levels both for the operating system and applications as well as the drivers.
1) Data transfer rate you reach on your wife’s computer is a target. It seems your ext. HDDs are OK, and you have a little problem with weak USB interface or some kind of software obstruction or both.
2) You will survive with 15Mb/s. I am speed 26Mb/s (average with USB flash drive) with worse configuration :-) You already know that large file will usually transfer faster than a group of smaller files of roughly the same size.
3) Now you would set : Optimize for quick removal because it is more safely for your data. Also if you can - use UPS to avoid data loss during power failure (UPS is my skill).
4) There is not an issue where the overall USB speed is lowered to that of the slowest device. USB hub divides the total bandwidth amongst the devices connected to it. Avoid connecting too many devices to a hub. Try to arrange USB devices and connect them to USB ports instead of connecting all ext. HDDs and almost all peripherals to a hub.
5) Do you use some sync back up program?
6a) Only for test measure transfer rate without firewall (run off line, without internet of course).
6b) Only for test measure transfer rate without Antivirus program (run off line, without internet of course).
7) I think your computer is not clean enough. I will suggest checking unwanted drivers in next Post.
1) Data transfer rate you reach on your wife’s computer is a target. It seems your ext. HDDs are OK, and you have a little problem with weak USB interface or some kind of software obstruction or both.
Would be nice if we'd be able to find out what's constituting the bottleneck, though.
2) You will survive with 15Mb/s.
I know. What's bothering me is that a restore of the approx. 40 GB on my wife's dual core desktop took a mere 40 minutes, whereas a restore of the approx. 100 GB (at the time) on my dual core laptop took a whopping 18 hours or so. Even if taking into account that her transfer rate is twice of mine, that only would account for tripling the time, but not for such orders of magnitude.
4) There is not an issue where the overall USB speed is lowered to that of the slowest device. USB hub divides the total bandwidth amongst the devices connected to it. Avoid connecting too many devices to a hub. Try to arrange USB devices and connect them to USB ports instead of connecting all ext. HDDs and almost all peripherals to a hub.
Given that the throughput does not differ whether connected to the powered hub or directly to one of my laptop's USB ports, I suspect an issue involving the USB ports either directly or indirectly, e.g. driver(s), operating system or other software issue(s).
5) Do you use some sync back up program?
The only backup program I am using is Norton Ghost 12.0. Other than that, iTunes syncs my iPhone to the laptop
6a) Only for test measure transfer rate without firewall (run off line, without internet of course).
6b) Only for test measure transfer rate without Antivirus program (run off line, without internet of course).
Will do.
7) I think your computer is not clean enough. I will suggest checking unwanted drivers in next Post.
1) Ext. HDDs sometimes require more power than what an USB port can supply specially on laptop. Laptops supply much less power to USB devices than desktops computers. Only Theory.
2) When you mention restore you can compress data files before backup them and you will be faster and will spare HDD space.
3)Try my fav portable tool SysInternals Autoruns to perhaps find accumulate remnant services, drivers and processes from applications you removed or other unwanted application components and some third-party auto-starting images that have been added to your system and slow system performance.
I like to check items in Everything tab.
First save log file. Use options Hide Signed Microsoft Entries and Compare (if changed something).
When you find a suspicious application, you can get information about it when you click on the app. If this doesn't provide enough helpful information, you can select a Web search, bringing up the results of a Google search for the application.
To disable an auto-start entry uncheck its check box. If you find obviously suspicious process you can delete them by right click and Delete command.
1) Ext. HDDs sometimes require more power than what an USB port can supply specially on laptop. Laptops supply much less power to USB devices than desktops computers. Only Theory.
That's why I am already using a USB hub that has its own power supply as well as external hard disks that each have their own power supply
2) When you mention restore you can compress data files before backup them and you will be faster and will spare HDD space.
Already doing that.
3)Try my fav portable tool SysInternals Autoruns to perhaps find accumulate remnant services, drivers and processes from applications you removed or other unwanted application components and some third-party auto-starting images that have been added to your system and slow system performance.
Find (navigate through the tree) and expand Dynex hub, Plantronics headset, Wheelmouse and 4th devices if you find.
Acer has 4 USB2.0 ports. I want to know how many Enhanced Host Controller you have (suppose only 1), on which way are USB devices arranged by the USB2.0 ports and brand of controller(s).
3)Try my fav portable tool SysInternals Autoruns to perhaps find accumulate remnant services, drivers and processes from applications you removed or other unwanted application components and some third-party auto-starting images that have been added to your system and slow system performance.
Will do.
The only thing I stumbled across was a Safenet Sentinel driver associated with a USB dongle that I am no longer using. But removing it didn't make any difference.
Earlier today I purchased a new PATA drive twice the size of the old one and completed another Ghost backup which I am using right now to recover from to the new disk.
That way I don't have to worry about running out of disk space anytime soon and we'll also see to what extent the old HDD might have been playing a role in this.
In the meantime I’ve tried SiSoftware Sandra Lite 2010 (freeware). There is good option Benchmark hard disks. Only for illustration tested my USB2.0 flash disk 1Gb. I’ve set 3 Seagate FreeAgent Desktop and one WD hard disks for comparison. One of them is exactly as you have.
The pictures are showing read performances. This is confirmation that your measuring of transfer rate on wife’s computer is quite accurate. Sandra says average 29,39MB/s for Seagate FreeAgent Desktop 500GB. Think that 30MB/s is average but top rate also. Hard disks are generally faster when reading (ext. HDDs restoring mode) than when writing (backuping mode).
P.S. Access Time is the average time to read a random sector on the disk. Advantage of Flash disk is obviously – no mechanical parts.
I’m sorry, sometimes can’t understand simple English.
It’s strange my Device Manager has this option and I made picture above easy. Now I see you have 1 USB2.0 controller and 4 USB1.1 controllers. I see also your plugged USB devices but the most important is how controllers share these devices?
OK. Please download PC Wizard 2010(freeware). On IO Ports you will find list of USB controllers. Select each of them and make screenshot or write.
I’m sorry, sometimes can’t understand simple English.
No problem, English is not my native tongue, either
It’s strange my Device Manager has this option and I made picture above easy. Now I see you have 1 USB2.0 controller and 4 USB1.1 controllers.
To the best of my knowledge, the Acer laptop only has USB 2.0 ports, whereas my old Toshiba laptop, that I migrated to the Acer with the help of PC Mover, had only USB 1.1 ports.
I am therefore starting to wonder if the USB 1.1 controllers listed are just a state of confusion that the Acer has as a result of the PC Mover migration years ago.
Would it be safe to remove the respective entries from Device Manager? Shouldn't the system then automatically "detect new hardware" and configure the proper drivers?
Please download PC Wizard 2010(freeware).
On IO Ports you will find list of USB controllers. Select each of them and make screenshot or write.
Below are screenshots of each of the current USB controller entries.
Do you have any thoughts on how we can convince Device Manager to display the USB entries under Devices by Connection?
Would the approach suggested above possibly work?
I do not like your PC Mover. However PC Mover, perhaps, is not culprit here.
You have Intel chipset, the same as I have. Don’t worry 4 USB 1.1 controllers is OK and don’t remove them.
You must know that all you have is theoretically 60MB/s (in really world max. 35MB/s) and that sum is shared between all 4 ports and all your USB devices.
Now advice: Unplug (remove) Webcam and Brother printer. Test one of ext. Seagate.
By the way – I saw your comments in conjunction with overheats. PC Wizard 2010 reads and shows computer parameters: voltage, temperature and fan speed.
📎Overheats.jpg
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